Walter Curtis Lichfield
It seems a little weird that I have lost both my grandfathers in just 6 months, but I do believe that it was my grandpas' time to go. I really do not feel too much sorrow, more acceptance and a calming feeling that my grandpa is in a better place. Here are some things about my grandpa:
He married my grandma, Wilma Browning. They too had four boys and THEN a girl - there's hope for me yet! After that they had another FIVE boys and THREE girls - 13 kids total! I could end my post right there and everyone would be impressed, 13 is a lot of kids.
I remember when I was like 3rd grade my grandpa got his four fingers on his left hand chopped off by a snow blower. I always thought that his stubby little fingers looked very interesting, and so did my kids. My boys asked him about it and he took the time to tell them the story. He said that he was using a snow blower when something got caught in it, causing it to stop. He reached his hand in to unblock the snow blower, but that caused the snow blower to do one last chop. He told my boys and I that just as he was reaching into the snow blower, the Holy Ghost prompted him not to do it, so his stubby fingers were a constant reminder to listen to the promptings of the Spirit.
If you can't tell, my grandfather was very religious. He knew the scriptures backwards and forwards. He was a seminary teacher for the LDS church for many, many years. There have been many people tell my dad that my grandpa changed their lives when he taught them. My dad has always said that one thing he admired about his dad was that my grandpa always tried to follow the commandments.
My grandpa obeyed the Old Testament very well - I'm almost not sure if he didn't quite understand that the Law of Moses had been fulfilled. He refused to eat pork - I didn't have the heart to tell him that the stuffing that I made for Thanksgiving a few years ago had sausage in it. He was a firm supporter of a Patriarchal society, but did say that men need the priesthood so that the women would need them for the women have the great blessing of carrying and raising children.
Grandpa loved duck tape and had a firm belief in "waste not-want not". While staying with us when I was 12, I was pulling the raisins out of my toast (I do not like cooked raisins). As he watched me do this, he kept on saying how when he was in China he saw men eating out of trash cans and if his kids had ever wasted food they would be in big trouble. He gave me subtle hints, but he didn't make me eat the raisins, and I didn't eat them.
His creativity did not just stay with physical items. While traveling in China with my dad, he had gone to some sort of market and had found something that he had wanted to purchase. The problem was that it was on a Sunday and being the very religious and devout man that he was, he could not purchase something on Sunday. He was a little sad until he realized, "It's still Saturday back home...so it is okay for me to purchase this today". His creativity helped him out more than once.
He came to my wedding in Nauvoo and I remember him saying afterwards that during the ceremony he had a strong feeling, almost like a lightening bolt, run through his entire body and that he knew good things were going to come from our marriage (I definitely agree with that).
He was always very complementary to me, but I think it may be because he pointed out one time that I have a good head on my shoulders and keep out of trouble. The last time I visited with him, which was last fall, he told me that he sure was proud of me and the choices I had made. I am glad that I was able to make him proud.
I love you Grandpa. Until we meet again.
The good news is that I was leaving for Utah on Tuesday, so now I will be able to be at his funeral.
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